Dwele Interview

Dwele’s not exactly an emcee, but he’s as Hip Hop as they come. The Detroit soul singer got his start by working with the likes of J Dilla, Slum Village and Bahamadia, and the past couple years have seen him contribute hooks to superstars Common and Kanye West. Last year’s Grammy Awards serve as a perfect example of Dwele’s dual citizenship between Hip Hop and R&B: both his interpretation of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “That’s the Way of the World” and his collaboration with Kanye, “Flashing Lights,” were nominated for awards. Dwele hopes to capitalize off of his newfound exposure with Sketches of a Man—his upcoming LP that he says is more Hip Hop than his previous two releases. In an interview with MichiganHipHop, Dwele talks about smoky sound sessions with Dilla; revisits the storied Breakfast Club with Elzhi (of Slum Village), Lacks (currently known as Ta’Raach), Hodge Podge (currently known as Big Tone) and 87; and how he would organize his ideal album with no strings attached. Continue reading →